Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Tony Kelly raises nearly $150,000 in bid for D10 Supervisor

D10 Supervisor Candidate Tony Kelly

Candidate for District 10 Supervisor Tony Kelly announced today that his grassroots campaign has raised nearly $150,000 in its bid to defeat incumbent Malia Cohen. The total amount raised to date includes donations from more than 200 individual contributors and matching funds from the City’s public financing program.

Kelly has pledged not to take campaign contributions from developers, big real estate interests or Ellis Act evictors. Almost 50% of his donations have come from residents of District 10.

Kelly is the only candidate in the current election cycle certified by the City as eligible to receive public funds. To date, he has received a total of $49,918 in public financing and has another $34,000 in matching funds pending from the City.

Cohen has chosen to not apply for public financing, relying instead upon donations from other sources, including numerous corporate executives and officers and special interests. As of her 460 filing on January 31, 2014, only 20% of Cohen’s contributions are from residents in District 10.

“My campaign has always been about standing up for neighborhood voices and being a responsible and accountable leader,” said Kelly. “District 10 has the highest rates of unemployment and violent crime in San Francisco, but we are not a priority at City Hall. I’m running for Supervisor because District 10 needs a strong new voice that will deliver meaningful results and make a difference in the lives of District 10 residents.”

A well-respected advocate for the neighborhoods of District 10, Tony has served on task forces and official advisory boards to the Mayor, the Port, and the Board of Supervisors. He has saved affordable housing and blue-collar jobs by leading the district’s neighborhood response to the Planning Commission’s massive planning and re-zoning process for the Eastern Neighborhoods. Kelly has been elected nine times as President of the Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association.

“Tony's many years of public service and advocacy in District 10 represent the progressive, neighborhood-oriented leadership District 10 needs and must have on the Board of Supervisors,” said former Mayor Art Agnos. “It is essential that our supervisor is a skilled, fearless fighter for our neighborhood interests in City Hall. That is why I am endorsing Tony Kelly.”